It’s 2018 and welcome to this seasons first edition of Falcons Frenzy where we will cover areas of the Falcons and answer questions the people raise in the comments section. Without further ado, RISE UP! It’s a new dawn, and the brotherhood shall rise again!
I’ll be honest, and I am not sure if it’s just me. However, since Dan Quinn’s arrival there is a different feeling than anytime I can recall in my life as a Falcons fan. Even when we had winning season under Mike Smith, we never truly felt we could win a super bowl. That stigma is changing, and the Falcons have a feeling like they can not only compete, but beat any team in the NFL on any given Sunday. That’s a feeling I don’t believe Falcons fans from any era have ever been able to say without conviction. I love it!
Why be Excited??
The exciting thing this season is the Falcons are coming in with virtually the same roster. The offense is returning all their crucial players and adding Calvin Ridley who statistically outperformed Julio Jones at Alabama. These are two different type of receivers, though, and Ridley is a perfect fit, talent wise, for what the Falcons could have used. Hooper should be improved after working with Matt Ryan all off-season. The defense is still young and improving every year. Just 3 years ago they were one of the worst units in the NFL, and now they are a legit top 10 unit. If health remains, the unit should improve in the second year under Sark.
Area to Follow
While the Falcons have plenty to be excited about, watching the defensive line will be key. The NFL is won in the trenches and which group of big guys beats the other group of big guys. The defensive line is replacing Clayborn and Poe, but they have high hopes in McClain and McKinley. How this dynamic plays and if they can remain healthy may be more important. Crawford will be used as a rotation piece, and Beasley should be better playing just the end. It remains to be seen how well they can hold up long term on the inside of the line. On that same token, following what
happens on the offensive line will be key as well. The depth here is not good enough to sustain 2 long term injuries. Also, it is generally important to keep the chemistry of the line overall throughout a season and playoffs. The more they can play together, the better unit they should be. Most the guys who are playing reserve rolls are less proven and could be a liability against a Fletcher Cox or Aaron Donald come January.
Ultimately, if you’re a Falcons fan, there shouldn’t be anything but excitement. We have 2 dynamic running backs (and a 3rd sleeper), 3 top end receivers who can attack teams in different ways, one of the best centers in the league and two very good tackles, all while boasting 3 possibly 4 pro bowl caliber defenders. This is a team with the window wide open, and I believe they realize the opportunity in front of them. Come September 6th, the city of brotherly love isn’t going to feel very loved as the Falcons lay a whooping, 33 – 13. Rise Up Brotherhood!!
The Other Side Sports 